Transcript Radiation Safety

Radiation Safety at Tufts
Helpful Hints for
Radioisotope Users
Personal Protective Equipment
Be sure your lab coat is long enough;
close/button it completely whenever in the lab;
do not roll up sleeves exposing bare skin.
Lab coats gathered or with elastic at the wrist are
preferred to ones that hang away from the wrist.
Double gloving is recommended to prevent
skin contamination if one glove has a hole or tears.
Avoid open-toed shoes, shorts and skirts
when working with radioactive materials.
Eye Protection and handling RAM
Wear safety goggles anytime there is a
splash hazard. This includes when pouring
liquid radioactive waste, handling
concentrated solutions, and vortexing samples.
Know where the nearest eyewash is located
and how to use it.
Using stock vials of
radioactive material [RAM]
Thaw completely before attempting to take an
aliquot from a stock vial. Incomplete thawing
may result in a frozen portion of concentrated
radioisotope escaping from the vial. Such ice
can slide across counters and floors leaving
large areas contaminated.
Tube selection in the lab
When using radioactive material, screw top
tubes are better than flip top tubes. The more
secure the closure of the tube, the less likely
it is to pop open, ex. during centrifugation or
when heating the contents.
Securely closed tubes prevent spills.
Using incubators with RAM
Whenever possible, place flasks containing
RAM cultures or solutions in secondary
containers to prevent spills and contamination
of the incubator. Use the lowest shelf available in the
incubator so that you are not reaching for containers
that are over your head. Straining to reach a
container can lead to a spill.
Incubators continued
Open dishes or flasks containing radioisotope,
especially some chemical forms of S-35 [ex. Methionine],
can result in the water within the incubator becoming
contaminated. Be careful opening the inner incubator
door to avoid contact with condensation droplets.
Place absorbent paper on the counter in front of the
incubator to catch any contamination.
Place the incubator as far back on the bench top as
feasible. Be sure to survey in front of incubators to
check for radioactive contamination.
Spin Columns and RAM
Used spin columns can pose a radiation
contamination hazard. When the powder
matrix in the column dries, radioactively
contaminated powder can be spread around
the lab. Place all used spin columns in conical
tubes or plastic bags, and then into the
radioactive waste container to avoid
contamination of the lab.
Ice buckets
Ice buckets used to cool tubes of radioactive
material frequently become contaminated.
Dispose of the used ice in a sink designated
for radioactive material disposal. Rinse
the sink well to help the ice melt and to
decontaminate the sink before anyone else
uses it.
Centrifuge
Balance the centrifuge well to avoid breakage and
Contamination of the inside of the centrifuge.
Wipe off tubes before centrifugation to avoid
contaminating the inside of the centrifuge.
Close tubes tightly, preferably using screw top tubes.
Let the centrifuge stop completely before opening,
esp. bench top models. Broken tubes in a moving
centrifuge can spray radioactive material on personnel
and the lab.
Shakers
Place plastic-backed
absorbent on a shaker
to catch any spills. This
allows one to dispose of
the contaminated absorbent
in the RA waste container,
and can save hours of
cleaning. This is especially
important with shared
equipment = no down time.
Gel Handling

Wear gloves and lab coat when handling gels.

Be aware of dose rate from P-32 containing gels.

Dispose of as a solid or dry RA waste.

Ensure gel does not run through processor with
the autoradiography X-ray film.
Electrophoresis &Autoradiography
Prevent fires with proper use of gel electrophoresis
equipment. Ensure proper voltage and avoid
running gels overnight when labs are not attended.
Equipment should be labeled as containing RAM.
Be sure autoradiography cassette is labeled as containing RAM
so all potential handlers/users are aware. Cassettes must also
be kept secure from loss or theft per MA RCP regulations.
Avoid contamination of a meter
If your geiger counter probe is contaminated,
you will not be able to perform safety surveys.
Do NOT cover the probe with Parafilm, as this
reduces detector efficiency, esp. with C-14 and S-35.
Turn/hold the probe sideways to survey your hands
so any droplets do not fall onto the pancake probe.
Do not touch the probe to surfaces to survey – use
½ inch detector to surface distance.
Post Experimental Surveys
Performing radiation contamination surveys
periodically during RAM use and immediately
after each use of RAM is the “heart” of a good
radiation safety program. Find any
contamination early, before it is spread around
the lab or contaminates others. Frequent
surveys are ALARA and save work in the long
run.
Change of clothing
It is recommended that those who work directly with
radioisotopes keep a change of clothing for
emergencies. Spills can happen. If one’s clothing
is splashed with radioactive materials [or other
chemicals] having a clean set of clothing readily
available is very helpful. This can be your own
clothing or a set of scrubs, which you can keep in a
locker or desk drawer in case it is needed.